"HDTV Owners Not Getting HD Service, Survey Finds"

diogen

SatelliteGuys Pro
Original poster
Apr 16, 2007
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Well.... we have a PS3 and have bought a couple of BD movies, but we're not going to pay the $30+ prices with few exceptions.

We haven't even upgraded to D*'s HD service because we're not going to pay $200 for a HDDVR. This is only half about price though, the writers strike broke our viewing habits so we don't watch as much TV... making the $200+ that much more unreasonable.
 
We haven't even upgraded to D*'s HD service...
And this I think is the main point.
You have to get "infected" with the hidef bug: get an HDTV, get hidef service, really like it, not being able to watch anything else.

Diogen.
 
As time passes, more people will decide they want HD on their HDTV. A quick and easy way is to buy a Blu-ray player. Then they can buy or rent HD movies.

As prices come down, more and more people will view it this way.

We are too impatient. Prices will start down before the end of the year. Probably be a big advertising push as the end of year holidays approach. Right now, there's breathing space. New models are developed and released, manufacturing costs come down, and more replication plants are being built. Preparation for more widespread adoption.

Eventually, I expect some studio to release in Blu-ray first, and DVD later. That will help encourage adoption.

Remember, from the studios standpoint, this "high def stuff" is to ensure they continue to get a revenue stream, one they see as waning on DVD. Prices will come down, but I'm sure they'll want to keep a "value added" premium in the price over DVD. How much and how long are the questions.
 
As time passes, more people will decide they want HD on their HDTV. A quick and easy way is to buy a Blu-ray player. Then they can buy or rent HD movies.

As prices come down, more and more people will view it this way.
But we have several threads showing prices going up.
 
But we have several threads showing prices going up.

Again, you're looking at the short term like it's how it will always be. Also again, I expect we'll see prices go down late in the year, maybe by July4, but certainly by Turkey Day.

Can't expect the first month or two after "victory" to show immediate price drops. Like I said, we are too impatient.
 
It's a much smaller leap for BD to be mass adopted than for a new format to come along that will induce the vast majority of minimally technically inclined people to abandon the entire concept of media in disc format, not too mention their entire DVD and CD collections. If downloads were so attractive, PPV movies would've completely supplanted VHS/DVD a decade ago.
 
I am not sure that this is the right forum for this.
 
It's a much smaller leap for BD to be mass adopted than for a new format to come along that will induce the vast majority of minimally technically inclined people to abandon the entire concept of media in disc format, not too mention their entire DVD and CD collections.
A valid point, I think.
Downloads, even if destined for success, still need a couple years to develop the needed infrastructure.

But the question is what will drive consumers to start adopting BD now? What is the value proposition?

First, you have to spend a couple grand to even have a chance to see the difference with DVD. And I'm not even talking about having to go through this often marketting BS - lossless, bitstream, 24/96, pulldown, HDMI, LPCM, decode, jitter, judder, interlaced/progressive, digital/analog, HDCP, AACS, BD+, etc. No such barriers existed when DVDs came along. Having three HDTV technologies fight for your living room doesn't help either.

Second, there has to be an "inflection" point.
The first "Matrix" is often mentioned as such point for DVDs (I think this was also the last movie ever released on LD). No such point for BD yet.

Third, there has to be a valid working business model.
Studios most likely won't sell hidef discs below DVDs: it costs more to author (often much more) and they jumped into this to make more money (i.e. sell for more). Whereas a successful business model for downloads is right in front of you - iTunes.

Net-net, at the moment hidef optical discs have only fans as their market audience: J6P doesn't see a return on few grand investment and tech savy consumer is in a wait mood for all this fluff with profiling, lawsuits, bashing, etc. to go away. And prices drop.

When will this happen? Ever? Will all this matter when it does?

Diogen.
 
We haven't even upgraded to D*'s HD service because we're not going to pay $200 for a HDDVR. This is only half about price though, the writers strike broke our viewing habits so we don't watch as much TV... making the $200+ that much more unreasonable.

e-mail D* customer service, complain about the price and you're not willing to pay $200.00, state how you have been a customer for a long time and that it isn't fair how new customers get the fee waived and existing customers get the shaft. Lastly, threaten to leave D* for another provider if they do not remedy the situation.

I did this last week. All I had to do was agree to a two year extension and pay $20.00 shipping. All this happened last Saturday night and I had a new HD receiver on Monday.

Squeaky wheel gets the grease.
 
Well.... we have a PS3 and have bought a couple of BD movies, but we're not going to pay the $30+ prices with few exceptions.

We haven't even upgraded to D*'s HD service because we're not going to pay $200 for a HDDVR. This is only half about price though, the writers strike broke our viewing habits so we don't watch as much TV... making the $200+ that much more unreasonable.

If you are paying US $30+ you need to find a new store, or shop at one of the major online sites.

After watching a BD people will really be disappointed with D* or E* service picture quality.
 
Diogen:

You make good points. That is why many of us see Blu-ray growing over the years, eventually to overtake DVD (IMHO) but not to eliminate DVD. Cost as a barrier to entry will decline.

What seems strange is that some think Blu-ray can only be a success if it swiftly overtakes and replaces DVD. That is not a good description of "success." It is successful from the studios point of view if they can turn a profit on it. It is successful from BDA patent holding members if it brings in royalties. It is successful from consumers points of view if they can buy titles they want at prices they find acceptable. The fact that some consumers may not wish to pay the freight does not make it unsuccessful. BMWs are certainly a success, even though most will never sit in one, much less ever own one.

It's not a VHS vs DVD repeat. Times change. There's room and desire for more delivery mechanisms. Even if HD downloads become successful, there's room at the table for many.
 
If you are paying US $30+ you need to find a new store, or shop at one of the major online sites.

After watching a BD people will really be disappointed with D* or E* service picture quality.

I know there are online options, but it's the B&M stores that get me to make purchases for newer titles. It is tiresome watching for sales, so we just don't anymore. I have an RSS feed for slickdeals... if a BD deal pops up on it I check it out... but when I go to Best Buy to get something else the $29+ price on anything relatively recent prevents me from buying anything on impulse.


r.jones said:
e-mail D* customer service, complain about the price and you're not willing to pay $200.00, state how you have been a customer for a long time and that it isn't fair how new customers get the fee waived and existing customers get the shaft. Lastly, threaten to leave D* for another provider if they do not remedy the situation.

I did this last week. All I had to do was agree to a two year extension and pay $20.00 shipping. All this happened last Saturday night and I had a new HD receiver on Monday.

Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

I won't get a free HDDVR from a rep, I've only been installed at this location (in fiance's name) since last summer. I have an account in my name at my parent's place that's been in good standing for 4 or 5 years. Didn't change the name from mine to theirs since they were going to charge $80 in access cards to do so.

I can't be obnoxious/rude to people on the phone, so unable to badger someone into giving me what I want anyways :p
 
I won't get a free HDDVR from a rep, I've only been installed at this location (in fiance's name) since last summer. I have an account in my name at my parent's place that's been in good standing for 4 or 5 years. Didn't change the name from mine to theirs since they were going to charge $80 in access cards to do so.

I can't be obnoxious/rude to people on the phone, so unable to badger someone into giving me what I want anyways :p

No need to be obnoxious and rude. I never was. I just simply stated that if they wouldn't cut me a deal I would find another provider.

Same here. And mine was only installed about 5 months when I got my "free" upgrade for my bedroom.
 
I know quite a few people with LCD's that they bought just because they thought flat panels look cool. It had nothing to do with HDTV.

They still have cable boxes hooked up to them via RF cables and not for QAM, either. Most of them have SD DVD players hooked up w/ composite (Vomit!) cables because that was what came in the box.
 

Almost 10% of No Country for Old Men sales were Blu-Ray discs

Atonement vs. Enchanted

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